Located about 30 minutes from Damascus airport, the Four Seasons Damascus is nestled in the heart of the city, a short cab ride away from the National Museum (filled with archaeological treasures) and the historically rich Old City. The 18-storey hotel was opened in 2006 and still looks fresh and new. It has a sleek and modern exterior that stands prominently amidst the city’s skyline. One of the outstanding features of the hotel is its service, which is truly exceptional. We never had to look far to find a staff member eager to assist us, and they always responded cheerfully and promptly to any request we made, no matter how small.
We stayed on the eighth floor in a one-bedroom diplomatic suite, which was spacious and offered splendid views of the city. At night the sounds of the busy streets below were barely audible and never distracted us from our sleep.
The only aspect of the room that we found disappointing was the TVs, which were not flat screens. The old, boxy-looking TV’s seemed a little dated in the otherwise modern-looking room. (182)
二、將下列短文譯為漢語(50分)
From Indiana, to outer space, and back to Indiana again. Monday morning, Kevin Ford returned to his alma mater, Blackford High School suited up in NASA gear. Ford gave an hour long presentation about his experiences as pilot of the space shuttle Discovery. Ford was one of seven astronauts who took part in a 13-day mission that began August 28th.The 49-year-old is from Montpelier, and graduated from Blackford High School in 1978.
“It feels really good, because this is my roots,” Ford told News Channel 15. “I sat right in those bleachers and I had a dream. I didn’t know if I’d go to space when I was in high school, but I had a dream of doing something that was really cool like that.”
Ford describes his time in space as the experience of his life. He spent nine years training, before the shuttle ever lifted off. “Even though you mentally prepare for it, it’s just hard to imagine until you get there, and I would say ‘hey, stuff is floating’.” Zero gravity, space food, and using the bathroom in space all came up during the hour long presentation.
During the special assembly, Ford gave hundreds of students a behind-the-scenes look at his space adventures by showing private crew video and sharing several personal stories. He also had a message for the students: be persistent, and stick to your goals. Ford revealed he’d been rejected three times, before being accepted into NASA’s astronaut program.
Before the assembly concluded, Ford presented the school with a special poster and a medallion. The medallion had previously been given to him by the school. Ford took it with him on the space mission, with the intention of bringing it back one day. In return, principal Sue Neat presented Ford with an identical medallion to keep. (302)